The NFP Path to Stronger Marriages: CCL Clergy Webinar
On May 21st, the Couple to Couple League hosted its Clergy Webinar, The NFP Path to Stronger Marriages. CCL welcomed over 200 clergy, parish leaders, marriage prep coordinators, and Pre-Cana teams from dioceses across the country. Hosted by CCL Ministry Consultant Nick Vicinanzo, the webinar featured an outstanding panel of experts. Rev. Fr. Paul Nguyen, OMV, Pastor of Holy Ghost Parish in the Archdiocese of Denver was featured. Panelist Deacon David Ulmer, Registered Nurse and NFP Instructor for over 20 years joined from the Archdiocese of Cincinnati. And Stacey Nagle, Director of CCL’s Teaching Center, completed the esteemed panel. Together, they explored how Natural Family Planning is far more than a requirement in marriage preparation. NFP is the path to a strong, lasting marriage and a powerful response to today’s challenges to life and the family.
Rich Conversation
The conversation was rich, practical, and deeply pastoral. It covered topics including how to introduce the topic of NFP, guiding couples away from contraception and IVF by creating an openness to cooperating with God’s design for their bodies and marriage, providing the necessary practical formation to allow couples to make an educated decision regarding NFP, as well as how CCL supports parishes in finding qualified NFP teachers and integrating fertility awareness seamlessly into existing marriage prep programs. The live Q&A drew thoughtful questions from attendees, reflecting a genuine hunger among parish leaders for better tools and deeper formation around this issue. Following the webinar, participants were invited to schedule a personal follow-up meeting with Nick Vicinanzo to explore how CCL can serve their parish directly.
Interest
Of the more than 200 individuals who registered, attendees represented a wide range of parish and diocesan ministries. These included priests, deacons, faith formation leaders, family and marriage ministry staff, youth ministers, parish staff members, and NFP instructors. Participants joined not only from across the United States, but also from Canada and Australia, highlighting the continued international interest in strengthening marriage through authentic Catholic teaching on human sexuality and fertility awareness.
Sixty-six participants attended the webinar live. In just the one week following the event, another 60 people have viewed the recorded presentation. Although the webinar was scheduled for one hour, attendees were invited to remain afterward for additional questions and discussion. Most participants chose to stay for the extended 20-minute Q&A session, demonstrating the strong interest and engagement surrounding the topic.
Registrants were invited to submit questions in advance. Several of those questions were addressed directly by the panelists during the presentation. The discussion focused not only on the theological and pastoral importance of NFP, but also on practical ways parishes can begin incorporating fertility education and support into existing marriage preparation and family life ministries.
Next Steps
To help attendees take the next step, CCL provided several free resources. These included 6 Steps to Offer NFP in Your Parish and 25 Resources to Get Started with NFP in Your Parish. These tools were designed to help parish leaders identify practical starting points, such as hosting workshops, finding local NFP teachers and parish champions, and building ongoing support systems for engaged and married couples.
For those unable to attend live, the webinar recording is available through the Resources for Clergy section at MyParishNFP.org.
Parish leaders and clergy interested in learning more or bringing NFP support to their parish are encouraged to contact Nick Vicinanzo, CCL Parish Ministry Consultant, and schedule a personal conversation.
Schedule an Appointment with Nick Vicinanzo. You may also reach Nick directly at www.ccli.org/nick
Scientific studies and pastoral experience point to the fact that NFP is an amazing tool that benefits couples long term. Every Catholic couple deserves and wants a path to a lasting marriage. Couple to Couple League is grateful to all who joined. CCL looks forward to continuing this vital work of building marriages, families, and a culture that says yes to life.
Why is NFP so important? Take the Natural Plan course for a quick intro. Learn Natural Family Planning – as an engaged couple or as a married couple.
Written by Nick Vicinanzo, CCL Ministry Consultant and Martha Haenni, Assistant Editor for Family Foundations magazine, a quarterly benefit to our benefactors and supporters.